Mesodissection Device Microscopic analysis of tissue mounted on glass slides is commonly used to study cancer, nonneoplastic entities such as heart disease and diabetes, and normal cell function. At a growing rate, researchers are utilizing various micro and macro tissue dissection techniques to recover specific areas of interest from a slide mounted tissue section for subsequent molecular testing including real time RTPCR, microarrays, sequencing, and mass spectrometry. The primary goal of the proposed Phase I project is to develop a manufacturing prototype of an inexpensive, manually controlled, dissection instrument for slide mounted tissue sections. This device will be based on an existing lab technology coinvented and exclusively licensed from the University of Utah's ARUP Laboratories. The subsequent commercial instrument would fill the need in the biological research market for a mesodissection (100,m resolution) instrument with the low cost, ease of use, and recovery efficiency of manual dissection techniques, but with far better precision. This device will include xy positioning, integrated optics, and multiple choices of specialized tissue removal and recovery tips. The manufacturing prototype will be tested for resolution, efficiency, and accuracy of tissue recovery. Resolution is defined as the difference in ,m between the circumference of the actual post dissection area and that of the originally indicated area for removal. Efficiency is defined as the percentage of tissue recovered from an indicated area measured by DNA quantification. Accuracy is defined as the percentage of desired DNA divided by the total DNA recovered and will be determined by DNA typing. Validation strategies are defined based on a model system of tissue type and slide type. By quantifying the resolution, efficiency and accuracy of DNA recovery in Phase I on prototype instruments we will demonstrate feasibility for Phase II development and commercialization. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Mesodissection Device The Mesodissection Device will provide a highly affordable system for dissection of tissue sections from glass slides. This device will provide 100m dissection resolution at an order of magnitude lower investment than that required for laser capture microdissection, enabling much broader researcher access to the new technology. The technology will promote productivity and quality of results for researchers working in the fields of histopathology and cancer diagnostics, non!cancer research including heart disease and diabetes, and areas outside of disease research including cell development and cellular function.